There Is No Homogenous Latino Catholic Vote

New York Times (Op-Ed)

By Hosffman Ospino

June 22, 2015

There Is No Homogenous Latino Catholic Vote

Will American Catholics take to heart the teachings of the Pope Francis on "care for our common home" when going to the voting booth? And at a time when nearly half of all Catholics in the United States are Latino, will this Latin American pope have any influence on their political convictions, and thus, on the 2016 election?

Perhaps — but the idea of a unified "Catholic vote" is an illusion. Elections in recent decades have demonstrated — sometimes appallingly — that American Catholics actually tend to vote in blocks inspired more by political and ideological allegiances than by the convictions that supposedly unite us as a religious group.

The pope does speak to a number of issues American Latino Catholics hold very dear, and a politician that agreed could persuade them at the polls.

What's more, contemporary American Catholicism is incredibly diverse in terms of demographics, cultures, languages and political worldviews. In particular, Latino Catholics are far from being a homogeneous group: While the majority of Latinos are U.S.-born, the majority of church-going Latino Catholics are immigrants. While most U.S. Latinos are very sensitive to immigration issues, for a growing percentage within this population — especially for those born in the U.S. — comprehensive immigration reform is not necessarily a top priority. Similar gulfs are also evident on matters of life, war and the role of government.

I very much doubt that the Latino half of the church in this country will vote as a block. But Laudato Si' does speak to a number of issues American Latino Catholics hold very dear, and a politician that agreed could persuade them at the polls.

For example, the majority of parishes where Latinos worship struggle financially, but often serve as centers of social services. These are thriving spaces that build on a strong sense of communal identity, and where children and youth participation is respected as much as senior leadership. Parishes serving Latino Catholics end up mirroring the reality of every day life for many Latino families: The survival of the individual person depends on the survival of the larger community.

The emphasis of Laudato Si’ on solidarity, generosity, a sense of mutual interdependence, intergenerational justice and the moral obligation to be mindful about how we live in the everyday, especially in relationship to those most vulnerable among us, could make Latino Catholics uniquely receptive to the pope's message.

After all, for millions of U.S. Latino Catholics actively involved in the democratic processes of our nation, faith and life are part of the same continuum.

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